Photo courtesy of the Human Feedback Foundation / AI Tinkerers Toronto
More than 170,000 nonprofit organizations support Canadians every day, yet fewer than 5% currently use artificial intelligence.
While AI is transforming industries and shaping policy, the organizations closest to communities have largely been left out. They have limited access to tools, training and support, and many nonprofits have been unable to explore how AI could support their missions, even as expectations for efficiency and impact continue to grow.
A new initiative aims to close that gap.
Designed specifically for nonprofits, the new Responsible AI Adoption for Social Impact (RAISE) initiative helps organizations adopt and govern AI responsibly, with an emphasis on long-term capacity, ethical use and trust.
Announced earlier this month, RAISE is being delivered through a partnership between the Human Feedback Foundation, The Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University and Creative Destruction Lab, with co-investment from DIGITAL, Canada’s Global Innovation Cluster for digital technologies.
Canada’s nonprofit sector contributes $192 billion annually to the economy, yet technical capacity remains low. According to the Human Feedback Foundation, fewer than 1% of nonprofit workers are in tech roles. The barriers go beyond skills alone, encompassing infrastructure, governance and the confidence to adopt new tools while maintaining trust.
“As artificial intelligence reshapes every sector, the people most in need of support are often the least likely to benefit,” says Elena Yunusov, founder and executive director of the Human Feedback Foundation. “Nonprofits serve those communities, but they haven’t had access to the same innovation pipelines or capacity-building support.”
Yunusov says the program is responding to a very specific challenge. While many nonprofit leaders are interested in AI, few have had the support to move beyond pilot projects or abstract conversations.
“There’s a lot of interest and curiosity, but not enough structure or guidance,” she says. “RAISE was designed to help nonprofits go from zero to one. It’s not about introducing one more flashy tool. It’s about building the internal skills, literacy and governance they need to use AI in ways that are safe, inclusive and aligned with their mission.”
A sector rooted in values, ready to lead
Canada’s nonprofit sector is deeply embedded in the fabric of community life, delivering essential services in areas like mental health, newcomer support, health care and education. That direct connection, says Yunusov, gives nonprofits a unique vantage point in shaping how AI can serve people.
“Because they’re mission-driven and grounded in trust, Canada’s nonprofits can lead globally on centring dignity and social impact in AI systems,” she says.
Five major organizations are participating in RAISE’s adoption accelerator. These include CAMH Foundation, the Canadian Cancer Society, CanadaHelps, Furniture Bank and Achēv. Each organization brings a different mission, data environment and service model to the table, which Yunusov says is by design.
“We didn’t want to focus on just one kind of nonprofit or one kind of use case,” Yunusov says. “We’re working across domains so we can build a governance and adoption model that reflects the diversity of the sector. Our hope is that what we learn with these five organizations can be used by many more.”
André Côté, interim executive director at The Dais, says the initiative is a timely response to a real gap in digital policy and training.
“We believe that equipping nonprofit workers with the knowledge and skills to responsibly use AI is essential for ensuring these powerful technologies amplify the sector’s collective impact for Canada,” he said in a media release. “But it has to be done in a way that stays true to the principles of equity, transparency and social good that guide our work.”
The training stream led by The Dais will support 500 nonprofit professionals across the country and is intended for people in roles like fundraising, service design, data stewardship and policy. Yunusov says technical expertise is helpful, but not required.
“You don’t need to be a data scientist to take part in this,” Yunusov says. “This is for people inside nonprofit organizations who want to understand what AI can do, how to evaluate tools and vendors, how to manage risks and how to stay true to their mission in the process.”
Sonia Sennik, CEO of Creative Destruction Lab, says RAISE builds on CDL’s work helping organizations put AI to use in the real world.
“Through CDL’s Putting AI to Work program, we are supporting organizations to translate artificial intelligence adoption into measurable productivity impact,” Sennik said in a statement. “Now we’re bringing that proven approach to Canada’s nonprofit sector. By equipping nonprofit leaders with the tools and skills to adopt AI responsibly, we aim to amplify their missions nationwide.”
From AI pilots to institutional change
RAISE is also producing a sector-wide governance framework, co-developed with participating organizations. The aim is to create a practical, actionable guide that can help other nonprofits adopt AI responsibly, without having to start from scratch. The framework will emphasize ethics, equity, diversity, inclusion and measurable outcomes.
Yunusov is quick to point out that the sector has been here before.
Many nonprofits are still working to catch up on digital transformation efforts that accelerated during the pandemic. Yunusov sees RAISE as a chance to move forward with intention, supporting long-term change rather than temporary fixes.
“We believe nonprofits have the potential to lead in ethical, trustworthy AI adoption,” she says. “This is about using AI as a force for good. It’s about amplifying their impact and delivering on their missions, while prioritizing inclusion, diversity, ethical standards and trust.”
For Yunusov, success means more than a single project or tool. What matters is whether organizations build the internal capacity and confidence to evaluate, govern and apply AI in ways that are sustainable and aligned with their values.
“For a fundraising team, using AI responsibly could mean better analysis of donor data, personalized outreach, multilingual service delivery or streamlined operations,” she says. “But all of that has to happen without compromising privacy or trust. That’s where governance and internal confidence matter.”
She adds that being able to say no is just as important as saying yes.
“Responsible adoption means knowing when not to use AI. It means evaluating whether the tool actually improves outcomes or just adds complexity. That kind of discernment is what we’re trying to build.”
For a sector that has often been excluded from major technology shifts, RAISE provides a much-needed framework for moving forward. The approach is grounded in care, mission and long-term thinking. While the program is still in its early stages, Yunusov believes the conversation it’s helping to surface is long overdue. Too often, she says, discussions about “AI for good” happen far from the people doing the work on the ground. RAISE is designed to change that by giving nonprofit leaders the support and agency to shape how AI is used in real-world contexts.
“There’s nothing abstract about this,” she says. “It’s about service. It’s about people. And if AI is going to be part of the future, then the people building that future need to include the nonprofit sector.”
